Iota
by Fruity Sangheili
Summary: AU in Halo Wars. In the midst of escaping death Anders enters a Forerunner Temple, to her dismay the Arbiter Ripa 'Moramee follows. She finds a Forerunner A.I who may turn the tides of the war early. M-rated for gore and violence. AndersxRipa
1. Persistent Beast

**Hey guys, this is going to be updated with chapters that are fixed to replace the poorly written installments. XD So please, enjoy. And I might as well say this now: All of my stories are on here just for reader's delight, if you want to review them, go ahead, but I'm barely able to get on here as it is.**

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The Covenant got what they wanted from her. Professor Ellen Anders lay still hearing the monster that carried her here shout something about Forerunners, and being charged with the destruction of her race. Her neck protested from the bruises she obtained by the alien's harsh grip as he pulled her towards the gravity-lift of the Drop ship and they were beamed inside. And there she passed out soon after the ship left the planet's atmosphere. Struggling in the alien's already firm grip wasn't the smartest thing to do.

With blurred vision, she glanced up at the ornate silver-clad Elite, he and the others were occupied with the events unfolding before them, she only wanted out. Her view changed to the platform she was once held captive over.

It seemed to listen to any command given, it was Forerunner technology, and maybe it'd listen to her. Everything else Forerunner had done so to this point—much to her dismay is some situations—why would it not work now?

Taking the chance while it was still open, she gathered her strength and jogged upon the platform, looking skyward briefly. She sighed glancing down to the platform. "Nothing ventured... Surface!" Anders ordered, a flash of light surrounded her form, a second after she vanished.

"Arbiter, the Human female, if she escapes she'll go for aid!" A young red armored guard cried, pointing to the platform having noticed the female but had no time to stop her.

Ripa 'Moramee looked back, his aged face creasing with a snarl. "She will not live to get that far." He entered the platform. "Surface!" He shouted gruffly, his body was lit aglow and was transported away soon after.

Anders materialized a few feet from the jungle floor, her knees bending at the impact with a light gasp. Brushing her soft black hair from her face with a finger, she looked about. "Hmm," She huffed, feeling a mild wave of relief. "That worked out pretty well."

She took a few steps forward, the plants crunching beneath her feet, another metallic hum sounded from behind her. She spun on her heel, the feeling of dread washed over her at the site. "... Maybe not." The silver clad Elite that had dragged her to her own personal hell flickered to reality in front of her, his hooves slammed the vegetation, he lifted his head and straightened out of the hunching position he ended up in.

Anders backed away slowly mumbling something aloud to herself. She observed the impressive crooked rows of teeth within his mouth. He ignored her comment and pulled the deactivated hilt from his belt. A wet scratching and gibbering noise came from behind the two, cutting his grip on the sword short.

Anders gasped and the Alien turned, grunting as a strange bulbous parasitic form leapt at his face. He batted it away with his hand quickly; it popped sending a splatter of green foul-smelling liquid all over his face and chest. With another bark of aggravation he stomped a second and slapped aside a third.

Ellen took the time to make her escape, dashing for the sticky, steaming thick foliage before her.

Shaking the parasite blood from his face with a displeased growl, his head swiveled to where the Human female was previous and hissed. He looked further out to see her back growing smaller as she made for the shrouding jungle surrounding them. Without further hesitation he gave chase, activating his sword in his hand.

The Professor rounded a large tree; she gave a quiet yelp as a low-hanging branch adorned with a spiked vine brushed her face, leaving a thin cut along her cheek. Her muscles ached, her bladder was burning, her neck was pulsing with dull pain, and sweat dribbled down from her hairline, it passed over the thin cut, stinging. She hissed but didn't bother to wipe it away, least she falter.

She had no doubt the Elite would catch her, leaping over a rotted log she glanced back to see her progress and unfortunately, she caught the sight of a cloaked shimmer as it passed under a stream of sunlight peeking through the canopy. Despite her body's heavy protesting she forced herself to run faster, her boots slamming the damp ground. The loud incoming droning of a weapon caused her to duck. She let a yell as it sliced into the tree she was passing, missing her head by only a few inches.

The female Human slipped on the wet grass and slid on her side from where she fell, coming to a halt not far from his feet. Ripa 'Moramee snarled attempting to yank his hand-weapon from the tree, but to no avail. He instead reached for his other; it crackled and gave a sharp hiss to life with a good squeeze. The Human growled in defeat, looking up at him with her small teeth bared, her face covered in specks of mud and greens. He reached down, easily gripping her neck even as she pulled back away from him. Her hands wrapped around his larger one, feebly attempting to pry it open. She gave a partly anguished and frustrated whimper, kicking her legs out at his mid-section, her feet never reaching their mark. Again she locked eyes with him, the Human never faltered her glare at him, which surprised him, only slightly however.

She winced at his foul breath as he spoke, bringing her closer to his face, so close that she could see the pale lines of flesh between his aged patchy gray scales.

"My face will be the last thing your pathetic eyes ever see." He raised his blade, still glaring at the Human's face defiantly, her curled lip and bared teeth left her face, he wondered if she had accepted her fate. But he noticed she was no longer looking directly at him, rather behind him. He halted his hand, her face drew pale, and she quickly looked horrified.

Anders then spoke up, her voice still firm with confidence. "Even if you do kill me... You won't be alive long after."

"Is that so--" Ripa was cut in his reply as a loud gurgle interrupted him. "The parasite." He murmured, dropping the Human to the canopy floor. In a blur he lashed out, slicing the infected Sangheili soldier in half, his rotted, possessed corpse hissed and fell, convulsing. As it stopped and finally lay still, Ripa looked up, his dull red eyes widening at the sight.

Masses of the Parasite began to appear from behind the trees, their fowl stench carrying to his nose, making his sinuses burn. He saw larger, hulking forms behind three lines of the infected Covenant and Human mix. He only stood in pure awe, bringing his sword to bear. "Come! I do not fear you Parasite!" He shouted with saliva flying from his maw, roaring a challenge.

The Alien was a fool, she heard him roar at the incoming creatures. His occupancy on her was abandoned; perhaps she would make it after all, that is, if she didn't die to the Alien Parasite first. Entering a clearing, she rested, her chest heaving. Her throat was dry, and itching, so were her lungs. With her hands on her knees she panted aloud, then went to taking in her ware bouts. More screeches were heard from within the jungle, blended with that crazed Elite's roars.

"Come on Ellen... The sooner you get to the Sergeant... The better...." Weakly, she rose, searching for a clear path, she knew she didn't have much time, the sounds of those creatures was growing closer. Something tall lay hidden in the trees beyond the field she was standing in, pale gray Alien stone and a small peep of ghostly blue glyphs was all she needed to know that before her stood a Forerunner structure. She'd be safer inside, if she could find a way in.

Her head felt cold as a thudding sound approached from behind. Her heart skipped a beat once, she glanced over her shoulder at the sight of the massive Elite charging her, scraping through the brush as if it was nothing. She stepped to the left, then to the right, it didn't matter which direction, he was locked onto her. "Ugh… Hell." She murmured and turned, tiredly running for the structure hoping to god there was some sort of entry.

How could he have let that damned female out of his sight? Let alone fall from his priorities.

He lengthened his strides, closing in on her within seconds as he entered the grassy field. Just as his shadow fell upon her, his chase was cut short as an infected, blubbery, thick arm slammed into his mid-section, sweeping the 9'1" Sangheili aside.

Hearing his chest plate whine under the impact and dent, he barked in pain and surprise, rolling into the grass his sword cast from his hand to be lost in the field. With a shake of his head, he sat up, taking no time to look at his enemy and rolled to his knees, taking a crouching position. In front of him hulked a massive parasitic form.

It's head was small, almost sunken into it's grotesque neck, which wriggled with long pale stems tipped with red bristled feelers, and pale green boils adorned it's rotting husk. It's "mouth" was hidden with three long fleshy tendrils, they moved in a snake-like manner around the opening in it's face. The creature's arms were uneven, like that of a Lekgolo. One arm was rather sizable, thick tusks growing out of it's flesh, the other merely a stump with flailing cords of ridged meat.

The creature made the Sangheili a young child in height comparison. This was a creature even Ripa 'Moramee himself could not handle. He cared not for the parasite, only to end that girl's miserable existence. Afterward he would return to end the lives of the rest of those disgusting creatures, including this useless race if he could help it. He stood quickly as the parasite form charged, lowering it's small head, revealing a deadly tusk from under a thick flap of yellowish skin. The Arbiter leapt from the creature's path, narrowly escaping it's charge, he heard it trumpet and the ground thundered as the creature turned, preparing for another pass. As Ripa landed in the grass, the back of his hand smacked something hard.

Looking down, he discovered it was his missing hilt; he grabbed it with haste as the ground rumbled and jumped away just as the massive creature rushed by him again.

Anders felt the structure's cool smooth surface with a panic stricken face. She was running on pure adrenaline now. "Please…" Her hand passed over an outlined square under a thin shade of vines, the alien lighting around it flickered and a faint bleep came from the panel as it sank into the building's wall. She backed away her eyes scaling the building, hearing the machinery creaking and hissing as it opened the large doors. Bits of vines, dirt, and small trees that had been there for ages crumbled and tore away as they were disturbed.

As Anders impatiently waited for the doors to draw open, a loud roar came from the field, alarmed she turned to the charging silver clad Elite. He was coming her way, and fast, but he didn't seem to pay her any heed. He was making for the opening in the structure. Her gaze shifted behind him and she felt her skin prickle. Hundreds, no, thousands of the parasite-infected soldiers poured out of the thick jungle, all rushing for him and her. With renewed energy she spun on her heel and dashed for the doors. They revealed a black abyss, but she would have rather taken her chances in there then become one of those rotting walking corpses. The moment she passed the doors premises they whined loudly, the gears turning to seal them shut. The women gasped, feeling her knee give out and she slid down onto her hands then laid flat on her stomach.

Ripa's hearts pounded in his chest, watching the Human run inside, she had obviously seen the mass following him and himself as well. To his dismay they began to close, he let out a breathy bark of frustration and picked himself up to speed, afraid he wasn't going to make it as the gap drew more thin. His hooves clapped the broken stone pathway and he leapt, narrowly passing through the opening, so close in fact that he felt his right shoulder guard scrape the stone door. It clinked with the removal of one of it's decorative spikes. With the sunlight drawing thin, he caught a glimpse of the female's horrified face looking up at him, horrified that he made it before slamming back-first to the floor stirring a dust cloud.

The doors creaked shut, letting one final hollow bang to the sealing of the gears. They now sat alone in the dark, Anders sat up, and coughing the dust the Elite had stirred from her lungs she blinked, looking in the direction of the Elite's loud snorts and breathing. As her eyes settled, she realized she could see his outline, it was faint and glowed purple. Above them, square pits of light were engraved into the corners joining the wall and the ceiling. She tore her eyes from him and warily looked down the giant isle. Although it was dark, she could get some considerable distance between him and her if she ran now.

_Or not…. _Hot breath spilled against the back of her neck, she'd forgotten Elites were fast to recover. Biting her lower lip, Anders closed her eyes hearing the energy sword crackle. Her body tensed and she ducked as the Elite grunted swinging the sword at her head. The only thing cut was her decorative chopstick pinned in her hair.

Ripa heard the girl yelp, yet he could not smell blood, nor did he feel blood spray his arm and blade. He had missed, he blinked his inictating lenses, clearing his eyes he searched for her silhouette in the dim light. Her feminine scent caught his nose and the faint scraping of boots came from the far left wall. With the gritting of crooked teeth, he exhaled a low growl and approached where the noise was coming from raising his sword, using it as a light.

He heard her gasp as she finally noticed the _floating_ sword. He watched her illuminated form fall back as she tripped on an engraved design on the floor. With another step she was fully exposed in the glow of the Energy Sword. Her eyes looking possessed as they stared up at him. He noted her defiance and lack of fear as she drilled his eyes with her own. He had seen that since the moment he took her from the male Human. She was not like any other Human he'd encountered, the male had arrogance in his eyes, but even he had a considerable hint of fear. "What are you waiting for? Do you want me to stand so it'll give you some sort of honor when you cut me down?" He snorted at the attitude displayed in her voice. "I have no need for you to stand to bring myself the pleasure to kill you. I will cut you where you lay."

_Think fast Ellen……_ Anders felt sweat drizzle down the side of her face, the air was musty, filled with mold, and hot from the heat being absorbed by the structure, it no longer had any insulation. "And what are you going to do once I'm dead? Your alien hands can't activate Forerunner technology. Otherwise you wouldn't have needed me to activate those ships."

Her words, although only mildly, were taken into consideration. True, the female was needed for the activation of the Forerunner Ships. As the hands of the Covenant seemed to be prohibited to carry the privilege, even the almighty Hierarchs were not allowed. This confused him, why would these wretched creatures have the gift, The Touch to activate Forerunner technology in ways the Covenant could not? There was only so much the Covenant could interface with, outside of High Charity. He recalled the Astrological Map she brought forth on the console.

"And your point is Human?"

"You can either stray in the darkness for eternity, with gods only know what resides down here, or I can lead us both out." She said as she stood. Ellen was being careful on how she rolled her dice, if she played the game right, she'd escape this bloodthirsty alien unharmed, but the hardest parts were going to be convincing him, and afterward, gaining his trust as it went along. He remained silent, and with each ticking second he seemed more and more unconvinced. And Anders was beginning to have her doubts; mentally she began to say her prayers.

"You do realize I will not allow you to live, you are only aiding me."

"I'm fully aware of what I'm doing Elite. I'm sure you're willing to die for the Covenant on account of one Human's death."

"And what if I am able to free myself?"

"What if you can't? I'm not afraid of dying, nor am I afraid of you."

There was another pause, everything was silent, so much in fact that Anders could hear her own pulse. He spoke again after the sword was raised above his head. "I will take my chances!" She dove away as he sliced through where she was standing a moment ago. She growled, annoyed it failed and ran blindly down the sloped hall. "You will not escape!!!" He snarled, darting after her, barely making out her curved frame in the darkness. She screamed and dove to the floor, escaping another brutal blow. The Elite's foot struck the side of her leg, sending him down to the carved metal ground. Anders rolled, gripping the cut on her shin that came from his tipped boots hissing through her teeth. The Elite was beginning to rise and barked lowering his head as the Human jumped his neck, he looked back up quickly to see her running into the abyss, a slight limp in her gate highlighted by his sword which lay a few feet from him.

Ellen's leg burned stronger with each step, her pants growing damp around the cut with blood. She didn't care if she fell into a hole and dropped forever, she much rather that then die to that Elite. The thudding of armored hooves grew louder, he was catching up to her and fast. A golden glow was coming from the floor ahead of her, it soon became a chasm and she stopped at the edge. "Please tell me there's a bridge…" She said breathily. She squinted and felt the air in front of her for a control module, being aware of her distance from the ledge, dim blue lights caught her attention and she limped for them in haste. Slapping her hand to the holo-pad she heard the machine react to her touch, hissing and beeping, flickering. The clamps of the holo-projectors released, extending them out over the abyss. She licked her lips, watching the light bridge materialize at her feet. She took no time getting across, save her progressing limp. The Elite arrived not but seconds after her crossing. She turned back to see him charging, the hard lines in his face creasing, looking demonic in the pale blue light.

"This is where you die damn it." She sneered, gimping for the panel to her right. She pressed her hand to the console and it clicked and chinked. She heard the Elite yell as the light bridge faded beneath him. She looked up and to her disbelief the damned creature had jumped before the bridge fully disappeared. He banged the floor side-first, the sword flying from his hand and pinging against the console, deactivating, his armor wailed at the weight and he rolled clumsily to his feet. Cursing the woman turned to flee, her form leaving his sight around the massive console. She was trapped now, it did not matter how many times he would chase her in circles. She would eventually wear out and fail to escape. He gathered his weapon and a small white spark from the console caught his eye, but he paid it no heed and slid on the smooth surface pursuing her.

Anders found a small indentation under a power console, she began to squat down attempting to hide when a light flashed in front of her. Causing her to shout and fall back on her haunches. The Elite rounded the corner, stopping briefly to calculate where she was. He took a step forward to charge her, he jerked to a halt when another light sparked from the console. It had caught their attention both. He again dismissed it and advanced upon her. She looked at him with her mouth open panting and he hissed. His mandibles rattling, he raised his Holy Blade and just as he was about to take her life a deep metallic voice spoke, threatening and astonished.

"Stop!"

Ripa gasped, as his blade was countered by another. The weapon was curved upward, but only slightly and it's edge jagged. It was see-through, and glowing a magnificent white. Strange Forerunner glyphs ran through it's holo-graphic frame. He followed the weapon to it's barer and a sight fell upon his eyes he thought he would never be graced with. Before him stood a creature with indescribable beauty, it had to be a Forerunner… Nothing more, could it? …. But this was no more than an A.I? A touchable, giant Artificial Intelligence, or some Forerunner phantom?

A smooth-skinned long face stared back, and long white locks flowed over a pair of massive, dark blue eyes which were oval in shape and down the sides of a long neck. They burned with grace and intelligence gained from only eras of trial and error. "By the Gods…." He whispered.


	2. Hello, Reclaimer

Ripa quickly backed away, lowering his weapon and his head submissively. He eyed the creature warily, wondering what his lord's reaction would be, but the creature only stared at him aggressively. His mandibles spread into a gasp when the Forerunner turned it's back to him as if he were nothing, and proceeded to interact with the Human. He observed it's anatomical structure and noticed how much it resembled a Human.

Given that it's legs and arms were far longer, thinner, and it seemed to balance on long, slim five-toed feet. He noticed they had small curved talons, instead of the smooth, retracted shapely nails Human toes did. It's clothing was odd, and it seemed as if they were to fall from it's frail-looking frame. A wrap surrounded it's flat upper chest, pressing a long frontal flap of cloth to it's form. The same said for the Forerunner's back. Along it's waist three largely beaded straps hung loosely from either side of the fabric holding it closed.

Below the layered robe a long kilt flowed, hiding it's long legs save the "V" shaped opening in the front to accommodate walking. The creature wore foot coverings rather than shoes, and they appeared attached to a set of long stockings that ended at it's thighs.

-o0o-

Anders scooted back, her breath hitching as the tall vaguely-Human Alien knelt down to her gently. It studied her, and she couldn't help but be sucked into it's massive eyes. Warmth and kindness filled them, along with superiority, respect, and a smartness to put any Covenant Hierarch to shame. She felt a chill run down her spine when she finally noticed it's tiny, if not almost pin-sized pupils staring back. It appeared male, as she noted it's strong chin and cheekbone build, and although flat, yet muscular chest. It's arms were ridiculously long, leading up to thick perfectly even shoulders. The creature's nose was primitive, but it wasn't completely ape-like. The bridge was faintly ridged, pointed and wide with slits for nostrils, along thick shaped high set eyebrows. The skin around it's or rather, _his_, eyes were a darker gray, muting his already dark eyes even more. It spoke, sealing the Male Theory.

"Come tell me, are you well?" His voice would make anyone melt. It was gorgeous, and like silk to Anders' ears. Deep, rich, warm, and friendly, save the metallic ring to it from his computerized nature. She could tell he was using a harsh translator, his real language back echoing his English. He waited patiently; blinking his shimmering eyes and cocking his head to the side a hint. Nearly ten seconds passed before she gained the gall to answer him. "Y-yes…. I mean, I cut my leg a little…." His wide snake-wise mouth curved into a cat grin, enhancing his charming features. He seemed excited that she replied to him, which was mildly amusing. He extended a porcelain hand to her and uncurled five long clawed fingers.

"Good, we'll have a look at that wound once out in the open." He piped, only smiling more as the Reclaimer blinked in confusion, glancing down to his open palm then to his face. "You may take my hand, I am…. Touchable." He struggled to find the correct word, his crusted "mind" uploading with a flood of data after being awakened from a 10,000 year slumber. The professor gingerly placed her hand in his then he heard her hiss, most likely shock from feeling how warm he was, and was amused at the Reclaimer's comical reaction. Leaning back slowly he brought her to her feet carefully. Her hand pulled from his, he could tell she was clearly afraid or at least shocked by his presence.

Anders' view changed to the Silver Clad Elite, who only stood with pure hatred and envy for his being ignored. Once the creature moved she focused back to him, seeing him press his hands to his partially bare chest, tucking his chin in as a form of curt nod. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am dubbed Iota from my creators. And for 10,000 years I have been in slumber since the death of my Forerunner Masters. Welcome Reclaimer, I am glad to see you have survived since the Activation."

_.....Activation?_

The Arbiter stood, astonished and angered that such a god would lower himself to aid the likes of that vermin. "My lord, why do you not kill this… This affront?" He stepped forward, catching the Forerunner's attention with the chink of his boot. It turned to him, obviously surprised by his question. "Kill? By what do you mean?" An offended tone took over the A.I.

'Moramee blinked his lenses, utterly bewildered. "Holy Lord? Are these… Humans not a disgrace?" He was shocked when the creature turned a tinge of purple. It spoke up, it's voice filled with anger. "Holy Lord? Affront? What is the meaning of this? Who spoke of this _nonsense_? I will tell you this, I am no lord." The Arbiter lowered his head apologetically. "Forgive me my Lord. Please t--" The Forerunner creation's interrupted him.

"I am no Lord! Nor were This One's Masters! We were beings created from Trial and Error to gain superior status like all other beasts! We are the wardens of the Flood, the Makers of the Rings!"

_Makers of the Rings....?_

Just then Anders spoke up but quietly. "The Flood?" Something shifted under the thick layer of Iota's hair as he looked to her; Anders figured it was his ears. "Yes. I assume you have seen them and the death they cause? They are a being design to consume living, a Parasitic Infestation. But then, they were released from a Containment Cell in one of our labs, a fatal mistake that cost my Masters dearly, one by one. They fell to the Parasite." He began solemnly. "My Creator had no choice yet to hide me in the console of this relic for preservation. For I was the last he had, my comrades had all been taken, now as corrupted victims to the Flood. They were mindless, depleted, slaves to the Parasite, drained of information by their Hive Leader."

"But what importance do the Humans hold to you?"

Iota's lips clenched tightly, pulling back into a displeased shrug. "They are the Reclaimers, saved from the fate of us all to start over, and gain back what we lost. Holders of all we left behind before our death. The Humans _are_ Forerunner."

Each word the A.I spoke felt like a hot blade jabbing the Arbiter's belly. And lowered his head to stare at the female he had almost killed. This entire time they were slaughtering the very being they worshiped.

_Did the Prophets know of this? Or was there some mistake in their judgment? Was everything…. A lie? They… Have used us to gain power? _

"I am sensing the Parasite all over, and another, Meddlers. Who are these beings?"

"The Covenant, a unity of multiple Alien Races, bent on our destruction. For what reason we don't know…. Or at least, I didn't until now. We were told by a prisoner that we were affronts to their Worship. And that we're to burn, judged by the Prophets to be cleansed. They see your kind as Gods." Anders answered.

"Covenant mm? …. Mistaken fools, they will pay for what they have done…"

'Moramee remained silent. Pure rage began to swell in the Sangheili's chest, the armor on his mandibles scraping together, and his grip tightening on the sword's hilt. 'Moramee then stared at the female, studying her. She was more focused on the action of the Forerunner Computer, her own eyes wide.

Anders watched Iota's face, he nodded to her and then her eyes dropped to her feet, the realization still sinking in. "So that's why I was able to activate the Map…."

"Yes. We must leave this planet, before the Parasite find their way into this structure." Iota raised his blade to inspect it. "And I will be useless no longer." Anders shook her head. "They're all over the outside of the Temple, in fact, they're all over the planet. Come to think of it, how are you touchable?"

Iota smiled his curved smile, but his tone was serious. "While Artificial Intelligence Modules of the past were created by mirror trajectory, providing the A.I with a self image that was translucent, I was infused with the same projection nodes responsible for our Light Bridges, allowing me to become a solid portable dimensional mass. We were equipped with blades, a way to combat the Flood. Only so little of my kind was made, the next weapon of effectiveness against the Parasite. Alas, with all weapons… There are flaws…"

He fell in silence, staring off into the darkness over Anders head, his snake lips shrugging. "Flaws?" Anders sought to have him continue, and naturally he took his lead.

"Our Holo-Cards, we were not able to go far. Our limit was five meters before our signal fell weak and unable to sustain our image. My Creators could have repaired it, but in the crisis, they could not muster the time needed, having to settle with that they had. In order to fight the Flood, who we called Light Wielders would present themselves in battle, carrying our Holo-Cards. There, alongside, we fought the Parasite ruthlessly… But… In time, mistakes eventually unfolded and the Wielders were killed, as the Flood discovered our weakness, and swarmed the Wielders, so much so that the protection of the A.I were not enough. Once death took the Wielder, our cards were either deactivated, or crushed, destroying us." His body held a pale gloom, an expression of grieving. "My Wielder, Xeveranigus was desperate and left me here to activate the evacuation ships, a sacrifice I was willing to make with vigor. And for 10,000 years I fell into dormancy. Until the presence of a Reclaimer, you awakened me."

Having heard enough, his very soul dimmed with the brutal information the Arbiter cut in. "What of the Forerunners?" With his eyes still upon Anders, Iota answered and his voice was stone cold. "I will save that, for when we are out of danger." Mentally 'Moramee wanted to coax the A.I into spilling more but he decided not to challenge him further. "We must move, for I hear their very scratching upon this tower." Iota inspected the view-less ceiling with distaste on both his face and voice.

Taking a swallow Anders nodded. "Right… What do we do? Where do we go?" Iota bobbed his head towards the console from which he projected. "My Holo-Card, take it from the console and keep it safe." He regarded the Arbiter with a wary eye. "And as for you, I expect nothing more than protection for this female. Or on the ground you will lay in two." The Alien did not respond, only stare at him. But Iota noted the creature's blind arrogance, and he seeped insanity, he surely stirred sins within his time of living. He figured the creature was still taking in what he had heard, and was merely catatonic.

He jerked when he felt Anders press her cold fingers to the card and tenderly pull it from the console. Examining himself the Forerunner A.I gave a nod, satisfied. "Place it where you feel it is safe, even a pocket upon your leggings will do." Anders complied, unzipping a small pocket on the side of her leg, gingerly sliding the card in and zipping it shut. She nodded to him who returned the gesture and proceeded to look about. "Ahhh this place, my systems hum with good and regretful memories…. From which direction did you enter?"

"We came from the East entrance." Then the A.I spoke in a language she didn't understand. He must've been directing it to himself. "Then we will travel North, I have kept the schematics from long ago, hopefully the landscape hasn't changed too much." He said with surprise at himself. "The activity is faint around the Northern Entry, but it won't be for long, there is a window of about an hour before the Flood come for that door as well." He stepped forward and held his hand aloft, the glyphs scrolling in a mixing pattern around his abdomen.

She heard the nodes whine and hiss; a hollow pop came from the cavern signaling setup and the bridge appeared before them. "Come. Reclaimer, Meddler." He began to make for the bridge, careful not to let him travel out of range Anders stuck close behind him.

They passed the Elite even as Anders eyed him cautiously and took a wide birth around him, he remained still with his chest heaving. She wondered if he was going to stay in this place to rot, it mattered not to her, she'd prefer if he did. With them only a few feet from the bridge did the Elite snap. Roaring bloody murder he fell to his knees and banged his fists on the smooth metal floor, noticeably denting it. Iota calmly looked to him while Anders jumped and spun on her booted heel with wide eyes, wincing partially at the cut in her leg.

-o0o-

She sighed when she found it was only him and stared at his hunched back. He was breathing heavily, tucking his head to his chest to hide his face. She felt a pang of pity for him that he had been lied to, not just him, but his whole species. She approached the massive Elite and reluctantly setting her fingers atop one of the spikes on his armored shoulder. He physically stiffened, and Anders prepared for him to lash out but he remained in his state, as if awaiting her to speak. "You… Could get your revenge… An extra hand for us would be nice. They….. Put us all through hell, I think it's time for redemption." She caught a glimpse of his red eye from under his arm, whether it was a hateful glaring she couldn't tell.

Moments ago he was her sworn enemy, they all were. He never thought this would happen, betrayal, lied to, trained to die for a false faith, to be made a fool. He would stand of none of it. Nobody will dare make the great Ripa 'Moramee their idiot and live.

Anders backed away as he rose and turned to face her. Again, they carried their stares and examined each others' faces. "I'm not asking for you to be our ally, my ally, or to help anybody of that matter, but I think we both truly know this is not right." He advanced, causing Ellen to instinctively step back, this set Iota on edge and his top lip curled into a minor snarl. His chest swelling in a dominant gesture, Ripa stared her down but the girl refused the back away entirely. "I care not for you, or your kind. But I will not have mine or myself disgraced, even more by joining in some pitiful alliance. Hear me now for I am the first Separist of the Covenant, Ripa 'Moram. And my will of the Forerunners be done." He raised his voice, letting it echoing into the darkness.

Iota nodded his approval and continued to cross the bridge. "Come! For once I past the bridge will deactivate, never to be used again." Giving the Elite one last look, Anders followed, having to trot at Iota's side. He slowed his pace to make it easier for her to follow, the clacking of Ripa's hooves came soon after.

-o0o-

Throughout their steady ascent Ellen continued to send glances back at their follower, who in turn gave looks at her. He could tell she was nervous, and enjoyed that. "We will arrive soon to the door, another 36 units of walking." Iota chimed. "Iota?" Anders asked quietly.

"Yes Reclaimer? Ah, Reclaimer, do you… Have a title?" He sounded apologetic for not asking earlier. Anders smiled. "Yes, my name is Ellen Anders."

"Ellen… Anders, it's so interesting how names have changed over the thousands past."

This made Anders laugh. "It's rare to find anybody with a name of complicated meaning anymore."

Iota nodded. "I am sure… I will be pleased if we make it aboard your ship, to meet other occupants."

"The Spirit of Fire." Ellen said, in a tone that seemed as if she were thinking aloud. "Lovely title for a ship, I was brought here aboard the Ardanius-Class war carrier, second class of the Dreadnought ship." He said, making simple conversation to pass the time. Ripa chose to be mute, rather interested to listen to their banter. "One thing does bother me Iota, what… Exactly happened to the Forerunners?" Iota addressed her with a sigh. "I suppose this is a good time to begin." He noticed the Alien perk from the corner of his eye then decided to ask. "You are… From Sangheilios aren't you, a Sangheilian soldier?"

Ripa's breath hitched. "Yes, Excellency." Iota ignored the authorial title. "Ah, Sangheili you are, I remember when your kind were still primitive. Discreet observation, quite magnificent your people are, it pleased us to find you were doing well." Ripa's chest huffed at the praise, coming from such a high being it meant much. "Yes, where were we… Ah, the Forerunner… I will tell you how we became… And fell."


	3. Appointment Canceled

The air was thick with the stench of the parasitic forms' rotting flesh and it burned Sergeant Forge's nose, also making him nauseous. He gripped his Assault Rifle, scoffing at the smell while he inspected the scene. He spotted tracks in the disturbed grass, and remains of the bulbous forms on the vegetation covered bridge. In the soft ground were tracks of cloven boots, each step nearly seven feet apart, signifying the Elite was running. "It has to be him…" He murmured to himself, resting his rifle on his shoulder he crouched down to inspect the tracks a little more closely. A faint women's size nine in-a-half boot was imbedded in the massive hoof print. "Sir?" Piped the Lieutenant. "She came this way, so did an Elite. Whether it was the one that took her I'm not sure." He followed the tracks and stopped at a bush, his eyes leading him to the opening of the jungle. "Damn it."

The Lieutenant stopped at his side. "Sir, should we go after her?"

Forge held his breath and continued to stare at forest; he listened to mixed noises of the planet's native animals. Anything could have happened to her, but as she said, she could take care of herself, and he trusted her on that. "Sergeant!" The Lieutenant shouted, causing Forge to snap up and back away as the Marine fired his Assault Rifle at the charging infected soldier. It screeched and jerked with the bullets pelting it's rotted form, green ooze and blood shot from it's gaping mouth.

Forge wasted no time in helping his fellow Marine out and opened up on the creature, it gave a final roar and fell to the ground, going limp. "Oh I hope she didn't turn one of these…." Lieutenant Kaysan said in disgust, backing away from the corpse.

"Anders is a strong girl, she's probably found a place to hide till we find her, Serina?"

The A.I responded smoothly. "Yes Sergeant?"

"Is there any remaining sign of Anders' Transponder?"

Serina pressed her fingers to the side of her temple, her body glowing bright blue, almost white. It was several seconds before she responded and her usual sarcastic tone was grim. "I'm afraid it's very faint Sergeant, but she's not leaving my range anytime soon-- Uh… There's someone else traveling with her…"

"Is it Covenant?"

"One of them is, as for the other I'm not sure…. It if _is _Covenant, it's unlike any Covenant Transponder I've encountered, it's giving signs of a Friendly."

Forge frowned and ran his thumb across the ridge of his brow to rid it of sweat. "It might be another hostage, which way are they headed?" He heard Spartan-130 approach, reloading her SMG. "Sergeant we don't have long, the creatures are closing in. They're ranging in the hundreds and increasing fast." He regarded her with a nod but said nothing as he waited for Serina's reply.

"North East, 12 miles. They're slow for the moment, at walking pace for now or so I can tell, but you might want to listen to Spartan-130. I'm picking up hundreds of enemy transponders."

Captain Cutter moved around the table, one hand resting against his waist, the other cupping his chin in thought. "Sergeant, fall back and regroup with Red Team get out of there and we'll find Anders another way. It's too dangerous to be searching on foot."

Forge grimaced and nodded once. "Yes sir." He cut the COM-LINK and turned to the approaching Spartans. "You heard the Captain, head back for the Pelican…" He sighed and licked his lower lip as another one of those creatures screamed from deep within the forest. "Nothing we can do here."

The whine of the Pelican's engines grew louder once they rounded a bend. But when gunfire and shouting Marines joined the din the Spartans and Forge raised their weapons. A forest green Pelican was headed straight for them, it's rear on fire. Behind it native birds infected by the virus spat explosive toxic projectiles, striking the Pelican's armored hull. A piece of it's plating slid off, falling onto an unfortunate Marine and delivering a fatal blow to his head. His comrades all looked back calling his name in anguish but refusing to turn for him, knowing he was already gone.

Forge cursed and raised his rifle firing at the creatures, so did the rest of his team. But the Pelican was already becoming unstable, it's frame groaned loudly as the bird tilted into a nose-dive once one of it's rear thrusters had dropped off. "Clear the area!!! She's going down!" Shouted the pilot, with a clear knowing she wouldn't survive the fall.

Red Team scattered, Forge grunted as Douglas took a fall upon him to cover him once the large carrier craft tunneled into the soft earth, it's nose crimpling and the cockpit glass shattering, a piece of debris sailed over Douglas' head, scrapping his shields which automatically flared at the touch. Forge looked up just in time to see the dead or unconscious pilot hanging limp in her seat, abruptly the dashboard burst into flames consuming her with it.

He pressed his brows together, sorry he'd lost the pilot. "Get away, she's gonna blow!" Shouted Lieutenant Kaysan while diving away for a nearby bush, having not made it and he dragged himself along the ground the rest of the way.

Not long after, the rest of the ship exploded, sending even more shrapnel along the field, causing the team to take cover yet again. The smoke and flames licked the air, nicking some of the infected birds who screeched in agony and spiraled to the ground like living fireballs. The remaining birds retreated, satisfied that the enemy moved out of their territory. After the debris had settled and the sickening smell of Pelican fuel and burnt virus-rampant birds floated about, Alice was the first to emerge clenching her SMG's. She observed the area intently, and after seeing nothing she heard Jerome, Spartan-092 - who'd taken cover with her behind a boulder in the mountainside - stir and look about with her. "Area's clear," She commented and the rest of the team and survivors came about. Forge shook his head and looked about at the surviving Marines who managed to escape the crash. They consisted of two Flame Throwers, three Marines and a nervous Medic. Not much to work with, but then he counted in the Spartans, and they had far more than imagined. "Spirit of Fire this is Forge, we need a location laid out for a Firebase, over…" He paused, looking at the downed Pelican remains. "And…. A new Pelican."

-o0o-

An hour of walking didn't help Anders burning bladder, or her aching legs and feet. But she listened intently on Iota's story, her brain becoming overloaded by the gush of information. Even Ripa had become a bit disoriented. She doubted he was even keeping track of all this. "And now… This is where I end my story, with you and the Sangheili, in our current situation." Iota sighed half way through his sentence. Ellen shook her head and rose her brows while Ripa snorted softly.

"Utterly awed mm?" Iota said with a smile which made Anders laugh.

"That was amazing, Iota. Thank you, for everything." She noticed the A.I's cheeks shimmer with a tone of aqua, was he blushing? He looked ahead and the strange hue faded from his face. "There is our exit! High time we got here."

Before them towered glyph engraved doors similar to what Anders and 'Moram came through. Iota held out a hand for them to stay their place, they did as instructed and he approached the door controls, he spoke in his native language and gingerly tapped his finger to the Holo-pad on the console protruding from the wall. The light around the two dimmed, the _only _light they had was Iota's form. He was a handy light source that was for sure. He was so bright in fact that Ripa deactivated his Sword, much to Anders' relief. She heard the Alien's hooves thud to her side and she side stepped, eyeing him. He was doing the same after she shifted. "Cowering are we?" He asked, mockingly amused.

"No, but I refuse to trust you." She answered coldly.

"I have no intention to kill you."

She snapped back, "Well obviously not now that you know we're the very things you'd die for, but a moment ago, we were nothing but vermin." The Elite growled and turned his entire body to her.

"You maybe a Forerunner ancestor, but that will not stop me from skinning you _alive._" He said through gritted teeth. "Then do it." She puffed her bust at him and he lowered his head till he nearly brushed noses with her, baring rows of yellow teeth with his red eyes boring into her brown orbs.

But a heavily humored voice cut the tension between the two, bringing both to attention. "My my, such affection being displayed here, stop your feuding at once, we have more tasks at hand than bickering like children." Iota shook his head, his flat mouth carrying a curvy smile. Anders looked to Ripa with a raised brow and gave a mocking smile before walking ahead of him. He watched her back pull away, clacking his mandibles irritably he stared at her for a couple seconds more then proceeded to follow the two as the light of the outside splashed their faces and fresh air filled them.

-o0o-

The last Jackal fell to a short burst through it's skull and collapsed into the brush. "That's the last of them for now. Serina how far ahead is the Base site?"

"Right under your nose Sergeant, ahead of you should be a rockslide, past that…" Her forehead creased thoughtfully. "Past that is a fully armed Covenant Base." Back on the ground Forge rolled his eyes.

As if the A.I had seen his expression from her view point she smirked and said. "Not a problem that a few Vultures can't handle." Forge bobbed his head, exhaling sharply.

"Sergeant I'm sending two Vultures down to you, hold your position until they arrive."

"The ETA?"

"1:00 minute." Forge nodded, and turned to his crew. "Heads up, we're holding here until the back-up Units arrive. So stay sharp, and reload if you have to." The Marines barked their confirmation and settled near a small cliff-face shrouded with vines and various plants.

The seconds ticked by and all was silent as the clock fell to thirty, then twenty, then to ten. The roar of a pair of Vulture attack carriers was music to Forge's ears, he and the Spartans were first to approach the incoming air units.

"Vultures in the air Sergeant, what needs killing?" A pilot chimed eagerly. The Lieutenant smiled at his attitude, leaping upon a rock to get a better look of the area.

"Let's head out, we've got a Base to kill."

A response was soon to follow. "Yes sir!!!"

-o0o-

Nosa 'Verinalee hissed and raised his head and the Unggoy under his charge warbled to each other worriedly. The sound of unfamiliar machinery reached his ears and he instantly expected the Humans. It was a grinding, howling sound, but as it approached the sound turned into a deep hollow roar. The young Sangheili turned to a nearby superior, ignoring the Unggoy waddling around his legs as they soon heard the engines.

The Zealot behind him, Moro 'Zamamee, grunted through his nose and stiffened his thick neck. "I hear them," He bobbed his head towards the sound. "If there are ground troops, eliminate them immediately, I will send for Wraiths to take care of the vehicles." 'Verinalee nodded and barked at the Unggoy, pointing towards the muddy path the Covenant troops coming and going to base had made.

'Zamamee watched 'Verinalee depart, closely followed by additional Sangheili soldiers and two pairs of Kig-Yar. He looked towards the Base and roared in his language to set the surrounding men on alert, they roared their complies and quickly moved into battle position. A duo of Lekgolo brothers hulked past him, spines fanned aggressively. As for 'Zamamee, he had an appointment with the Base on the West side of the plains. He quickly turned for his Banshee and lifted out of the soon-to-be battle zone.

His radar blipped with magenta colored dots and he tapped the keys in front of him. The screen changed to a more detailed view of the valley below. And what the Sangheili saw ahead caused him to scream and pull the nose of his Banshee upward into a halt. He slid his left hand forward over the touchpad to propel the air vehicle out of the Vulture's stream of super heated shells. The Banshee's left wing booster was chipped off by the rounds, and the vehicle tilted for the forest floor. Moro winced with the loud ring of the Banshee's alarm and rotated his right hand over the flat spherical pad to bring the unit into a turn and stabilize it when the hull was struck again, sending the Zealot into the side of the ship and once more it dove sideways.

Air that seeped in from the partially blasted cover swirled around 'Zamamee's face, forcing him to blink his inictating lenses and wet his eyes. A third round pummeled the Banshee's belly pushing it back, both wings broke from it's sides from the barrage and it spiraled into the forest, taking the Zealot with it. The last thing he saw were the fast incoming trees before his head collided with the bow of the Banshee, knocking him out cold.

-o0o-

Forge needn't do anything, he simply stood to watch the Vulture eliminate the smaller threat. It confused him though, to why the Banshee made a run for it rather than fight to the death, he dismissed it as cowardice. They advanced towards the base, he advised caution among the group. A young Marine who was first to approach the base was literally vaporized by a neon pink beam. He screamed, his armor and flesh melting before the beam receded, leaving a smoking corpse in the grass.

"Awh hell get down!!!" Kaysan shouted diving as the beam fired over his head, burning through a young tree. But then the beam drifted down across the ground and was just about to strike the Lieutenant when Douglas-042 stepped in front, his shields taking the blow.

Working fast to cover Alice, Jerome fired upon the Jackals who brought their Beam Rifles to bare, his shotgun blasting clear holes through their mid-section. Spartan-130 dashed for the Locust between the Jackal bodies, swiftly dodging the duel Fuel Rod Cannons of an advancing Hunter pair, she leapt over a stray shot from the second round then climbed the leg of the slow-moving Building Killer Vehicle. The Minor Elite pilot inside snorted loudly at the rapping on the Locust's hull, when a large shadow appeared off to his side. After a few well-delivered punches to the cockpit shielding, she cracked a panel and forced her hand through. The Elite inside roared in surprise then reached for his weapon at his belt, but Alice gave him no time when she grabbed his Combat Harness and yanked him from his seat, throwing the youngster out the open window to the ground.

He landed on his back and rolled, having lost his breath. The Spartan slid into the seat and immediately felt the pounding of the Hunters' Fuel Rods, attempting to take her out before she had a chance to fully possess it. A rocket fired by a Marine took care of one of the Hunters, blowing it's arm clean off, while injuring it's nearby partner. The other rolled to the ground from the blast, having lost some of it's spikes, the worms writhing around under the armor in pain. Orange blood splashed the leg and main body of the Locust. Alice turned the head of the Locust about and activated the beam, the shield aura hovering on the Base flared violently. The Marines arrived along the side of the stolen Locust. A rocket detonated against the base' shields and the Covenant emerged from the base like aggravated bees.


	4. Head Case

**This chapter has been totally redone, minor changes in the beginning, but the ending is far different from before. Moro will still have his mental arguements, but I decided to limit them to his sleep, it gives it a less comical feel. : ) Enjoy! **

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* * *

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_It feels so good to be out in clean air again. _Thought Anders, raising her hand over her eyes to shield them till they settled in the sunlight, she inhaled deeply and slowly released the air from her lungs, flushing any dust from her system.

-o0o-

Iota looked back at her, now in the sun he observed just how beautiful the Reclaimer really was as she stepped into the sunlight. Her eyes were dark, but shined with intelligence, thick black hair, a smooth freckled face with thin lips. He also noticed just how exhausted the woman was. Dark bags swelled under her eyes, her breath was ragged and her posture held slump. She must have been aching badly; he wondered how long she'd been in this condition.

"Reclaimer?" The girl looked at him tiredly. "How long have you been in this state?"

She grimaced at him then went to rub her sore neck. "From what I remember, about 48 hours."

Iota shook his head and flared his flat nostrils, though it wasn't really noticeable on the Forerunner A.I's bold white face. "You need sustenance….. And I assume a latrine?"

Anders gripped her growling stomach looking at him with a pleading smile. "That'd be nice…" Iota nodded then flashed a quick smile back, he turned his attention to Ripa, who stood behind her, his head swiveling about taking in his surroundings with alert. The Sangheili was a great deal old, his face held years of stress, foreseen destruction, hatred, torture, and many, many deaths. Iota's gift of telling so many things just from looking at a person's face was a valuable but displeasing and furthermore, _unnerving _talent. Almaidi, an assistant in Iota's design was first to notice this interesting unique, rather than be shocked and disturbed by having his most personal memories, romances of the past, horrors of childhood, humors of life. Of all that his psyche held exposed, he was amazed, excited.

Blathering it to the others wasn't the wisest of choices, but many found it to be just as entertaining. This distributed Iota's reputation to be like no other A.I created in the past. He was known to have more personality than many, if not all. This Sangheili had seen all but one thing _was_ missing. Iota sensed no real past of affection, no love experienced.

"Iota?"

The A.I gave what sounded like a hoot, his attention turning back to the two standing aside him. "I… I am sorry, one tends to get lost when thinking in the past." An unsure smile spread on Anders' face. "I must scour the area before we can proceed. It will be one moment." The A.I's brow line crinkled and his eyes flicked to the trees, then to the ground. He inhaled sharply and nodded to himself, mumbling. "Well, we do not have for very long to rest, go to relieve any bodily fluids if need be." The Forerunner then chuckled. "That I do not need to do."

Anders nodded. "Right." She then made for the cover and seclusion of the trees, the Arbiter automatically followed. But a warm hand grabbed his armored shoulder. He hissed quietly, knowing it was the Forerunner. "Now now, let the female alone shall we?" He smirked at the Sangheili, but the Alien didn't quite get the expression, it amused Iota further.

"Unless you intend to relieve yourself, rest for we have a ways to walk." The Arbiter nodded solemnly, and made for a nearby tree. Iota watched him briefly then turned his back to the warrior. Birds about sang, the air was warm and clean and the trees were healthy. It saddened Iota that all of this would be gone, turned into a rotting wasteland by fault of the Parasite. The grass crunched under Arbiter's return. Iota regarded him just as a young bird landed on his head. Ripa tilted his head at the animal then to Iota who didn't seem to mind it's presence. "Beautiful girl is she not? Tis a shame this little thing will die…" His voice held genuine sadness.

Ripa clacked his sagging mandibles, then he spoke up. "That is life; all will die eventually, the gods then send us to salvation." Iota's dark blue eyes flicked to him with a sad smile. "Yes… But this one's life has just begun. The sins of an individual's past cannot be erased, and some say we are cursed at birth. In this one's opinion, birth is the purest, most blessed thing one can experience, it's the risk the future brings that taint the fruits of life. The child is exposed to the vilest things, and the road is long but when you do arrive at where you were meant to be, you must take a look around. To see what you have become, when one is to see fit that it's own kind, and other kind are allowed to live as they should, that is the most amazing thing. When the child grows it begins to gain a mindset, and whether it wants to commit the sins offered, are it's choice. But with any choice of evil, there is an indeed deep price."

Ripa eyed the Forerunner, half in awe for his words, the other in suspicion if he'd gone mad.

He paused to lift a finger to his brow, the finch leapt upon it, turning to face him. It's pearl-size black eyes blinking at him. "Hello there little love...." He chuckled to himself, his thin chest bouncing. "You wish to join us in our adventure? Or you wish to go home, to be within the love of your family and wait out the ending storm?"

The finch only peeped, and remained rooted to his finger, it's tiny head swiveling to Ripa and back. "Ah, a brave one, you wish to stay, good. Let us be fools and save this universe."

'Moram stood, utterly confused as to why the A.I was conversing with a bird. Was he corrupted? Or was this the A.I's typical behavior? The light thumping of Anders boots caused both men to round about in her direction. She was rubbing her stomach, her face a bit flushed. "My stomach feels a little better, now that there's not so much pressure."

Iota nodded. "Good, good. We will gain sustenance upon your ship." As he moved for her the finch fluttered around to settle on his shoulder. "Who's your friend?" She inspected the little bird with a soft smile.

"This little one is a Airee Finch, they are called that for their bright orange feathers that resemble the petals of an Airee Lily." Iota's ear flicked under his hair. "She wants to join our conquest. Allowance was gladly given." He seemed as pure and cheerful as a child. A nice change compared to the roughnecks aboard the Spirit of Fire. Iota then shifted and turned, "floating" off. As his feet never touched the ground, Anders followed.

It then dawned on Ripa and he addressed Iota with a wary tone. "You did not fade when the female left the area." Anders quickly spoke up.

"It's because I was sure to stay in his range, counting my steps." The Elite seemed annoyed at her voice as he tilted his head away tightening his mandibles in the process and she made a face, whether he noticed or not she didn't care.

-o0o-

The missile tubes extended from their places atop the Vulture, whining and tilting at their designated target. Flipping the cap on the launch button, the pilot gritted his teeth in an excited grin.

"Barrage launched!!!" He announced, John lifted his head after the last Elite fell, spinning around and landing on his side in the mud. The missiles gave a muffled _puffing_ sound upon exiting the tubes. Surviving Jackals and Grunts screamed and fled, not daring to watch their base be obliterated. Those idiotic enough to watch - in awe of the oncoming attack - were killed as the first round of missiles struck, shrapnel and the clouds of super-heated fire sweeping itself across the ground, striking them down. The alien metal creaked and cried out, falling in on itself. The explosions were backed by a chorus of tired but happy Marines.

Forge lowered his rifle, smirking. "Clear out the area of survivors, and let's get these remains out of here. The sooner the area's cleaned for the base, the better."

-o0o-

Embers the colors of purple, pink and green burned so bright in the gully that it gave the mid day an ending feel. Marines aided the Spartans in carrying away debris from the fallen Covenant Base. "I love the smell of roast chicken," Commented a young freckle-faced Marine, dragging a seared jackal carcass to the edge of the canyon and dropping the body off the side. Forge watched him briefly and went about aiding three other men struggling with a large piece of a curved pillar that once supported the main part of the structure. Lacking to show physical worry, the Sergeant could not fully push his thoughts of the Professor from his mind. Was she still alive? Or was she… He shook his head.

_No, she's still alive and she has that other Marine with her, and that hostage…. Or are they the hostages? _

The last time he saw her, their exchange wasn't exactly the friendliest. All he could do was wish her luck and a little hope that she made it to the crew, or was able to contact the Spirit of Fire.

-o0o-

Rasped coughs from the forest floor stirred the small flock of birds settled in the branches above the fallen Banshee, all curiously inspecting the crash site. The birds then gave alarm, fleeing upon the movement of the creature below, climbing from it's coffin.

Moro spat a glob of blood, watching it trickle from his mandible onto his armor forearm with his good eye. "Damned beasts and their stone-age machines." He croaked.

The Sangheili reached up and lifted the Banshee's damaged hood and gripped the edge of the slide with his other shaky hand. He paused to inspect his surroundings with his left eye, which was ironic he would get stuck using his already bad eye as a vital source of sight. He still had his right eye, - to his relief - reaching up to feel the swollen lump on the side of his head confirmed that, he tried to open it but found it ridiculously painful. A searing sharp heat ran throughout his face, most likely he had broken bone around his eye socket, or somewhere with the vicinity of the right side of his face.

Cursing in his native tongue, he resumed pulling himself from his wrecked escort Banshee. He landed on his rear against the polished boulders below him and the vehicle. It sent a dull twinge of pain through his thick spine and he groan out of partially frustration. Above him animals in the trees sounded their cries which unnerved the Sangheili, as he had a childhood fear of cries in the dark, especially alone. Such a stupid fear to have for one of his kind, but, he had it. He craned his neck over the boulder and found a rather kind site.

The brush wasn't _that _high.

With a turned back to the Banshee, the man went over his options. Perhaps a passing Spirit would see him, or at the very least, the obnoxious smoke trail the crisped front end of his Banshee was giving off. And the smell was repulsive, that would keep insects and other predatory animals away. Alas, if he were not found, what would he do then? Surely he wasn't going to let himself die like this…. He leaned back against the Banshee, groaning and closing his good eye. His head stirred and he was exhausted. He would take this chance to rest, at least until he thought of a way out. What the Sangheili didn't expect, was to drift off, which is exactly what he did.

_Fog drifted around Moro's exposed frame, the floor he lay on was black, and cold. His eyes snapped open as he sat up, and his chest heaved. It took him several seconds to realize that his eye was no longer hurting, infact he was able to open it. Touching his hand to it, he found it was no longer wounded. "No gniog si tahw?" He asked, mostly to himself. _

"_Ti t'nsi, ereh krad?" _

_The voice made Moro shudder. It was dead, cold, no emotion. "Ouy era ohw?" His head swivled about, quickly standing on the cold flat and sightless surface. He glared into the darkness, his mind was racing with fear with what he couldn't see. He crossed his arms over his chest, grabbing his forearms. It was unbelievably cold, Gods, it was unbelieveable that he could even __**feel**__ the cold in a dream of all things. It was a dream, right? Or did he die?_

"_Ma I tahw s'taht …Rotiart." _

"_Rotiart a?" _

"_Sey." _

"…_. Tnanevoc eht fo?" _

"_Tneconni, era Humans eht."_

_The words made Moro's fear suddenly turn to severe anger. "Ton era yeht!"_

"… _Ton yeht era woh?" _

"_Noitucexe rouy gnirud ereht saw I." _

"_Nos, oot, ouy was I dna. Ybab a erew ouy ecnis ouy nwonk ev'I."_

0~0

"Damnable brush!" Iota spat, cutting away the stem of a rather vibrantly tipped plant. He paused to inspect what he'd cut down and smiled, bending down to pick up a large Lily-like flower. It's dark orange petals speckled with morning dew and fuchsia, the tips of the petals curled and an eerie blood red, as if they were dying. From out of the center, curled and spiraled bright, yellow and green pollen tips, behind him stood Ripa and the Human female. She was staying a distance away, but Iota noticed they'd grown more comfortable in each other's presence than he first predicted. Their childish sputtering at each other told a lot about them to one another. And from the looks of it, Ripa was starting to become intrigued by her witty snapbacks. They'd argued the entire trip, giving the A.I some much needed amusement.

Ripa stepped aside as the A.I drifted forward, heading towards the Human, as usual. He was never paid much mind throughout their travel. He eyed them as he stepped forward to inspect the area.

"A gift of patience, miss Anders." He bowed his head slowly, strands of hair sliding from his shoulders, a smile on his short-snouted face as he held out the flower to her. Anders' face warmed as she took it. He straightened, and watched her sniff it gently.

"It's quite nice, what is this flower?" She smiled up at him, shifting her weight and raising a brow slightly.

"It is a Dew Blossom. They are poisoness, but only when indigested. My creators, they were a favorite in decoration to them, especially of their homes, for their sweet scent."

Anders bobbed her head to the side, strings of dark brown hair falling over her face. "Humans put flowers in their homes too, for their smell, and how it seems to bring the room to life. There's a whole variety of flora back on the colony planets and Earth you could classify and study, Animals too. If that's something you're interested in."

Iota's frame glowed brightly. Having seen that behavioral reaction a few times before, Anders took this to be happiness. "Oh yes, I have documented all Animals in their natural habitats and lifestyles here. I have a particular interest in Avians and Therapod Insects."

She laughed softly, shaking her head at his enthusiasm. "We have millions for you to study. No shortage there. Not all information is available on the internet system, you would have to go look for yourself." She glanced over at Ripa who seemed to stare at them with a lonely setting about him and raised her brow, quieting. He noticed her clearly and growled, turning back to cutting away the weeds around them.

"Miss Anders, if you like that flower, collect the seeds when it expires. These are known for living hours after having been cut, but the seeds grow in _any_ environment. Hopefully it will survive long enough to bloom something nice hm? They come in a variety of colors as well. No flower is the same, but they look beautiful together regardless." The A.I raised his brows at her, his pinpoint pupils locking with hers. She blinked, watching him look back to the large alien that was cutting a path into the jungle, then back to her, a hint in his smile. She immediately flushed, partially shocked that he would even suggest that.

"I-Iota, that's ridiculous."

The Forerunner computer shrugged, letting out a haunting giggle as he turned back to aid the Sangheili. Looking down at the flower, the professor sighed, waiting for her face to cool before she followed them.

However, as she began to catch up with them, a faint wet crackling noise caught her ear. At first, she suspected it to be their cutting, but this seemed fleshier, and the cluttering tree branches above shook. Iota turned back at her, halting his advance as she looked up, releasing a panicked scream as a parasitic creature leapt onto her out of the tree. The Infection Form squealed and flailed in her grip, attempting to drive it's penetrator into her neck to her spine, it's tendrils wrapping around her head, tearing the decorative chopsticks in her hair loose, her hair falling free. She gave another shrill cry at the sight of a toothy orifice snapping just inches away from her face, foul and sticky brown fluid splattering her face and dripping onto her hands and front.

Much to Iota's surprise, it was not him to make the first move, but Ripa. He paused to watch the large alien lumber over to the struggling girl in a trot. He grabbed the infection form, his long and thick claws penetrating the creature's soft carapace. As it screeched and chirped, wrapping it's barbed tentacles around his armored wrist, blood spurted from the puncture marks. He ripped it haste fully from the girl's head, popping the air sack in it's body, the creature dissolving into the green flakes and spores. He growled as the girl stayed frozen, trying to recover from the ordeal and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet out of the foul green cloud. "Stand up! Do you want to inhale those spores!?" He snarled, pulling her to his mid-section and backing away from the falling spores.

She fisted her hand against his belly; looking up at him in frustration, glaring at him. The Elite glared back, his wrinkled face twisted into a frown. Then again, he always frowned, so Anders wasn't sure what expression _this_ was. She finally calmed after several seconds, sighing, her hair falling over her face as she looked down. Looking back up at him with honest gratitude in her eyes, she managed to smile, although it was barely noticeable. With that, his grip on her wrist loosened, allowing her to have her hand back. She didn't bother to notice the partial shock on his face for the fact she thanked him, even though no words were spoken.

Iota held out a hand and turned with her, placing it on her back comfortingly. "Are you alright Ellen?" His brows furrowed in concern, rubbing her back. She nodded eventually, letting out a sigh shakily.

"Yes I am… If we find some water, maybe a river, I'll clean these wounds. They're just mild cuts, nothing really to worry about." She smiled up at him reassuringly.

Iota's voice was grave as he shook his head. "If you don't wash those soon, they could become infected, we don't know if the spores entered the wounds or not… There is a river half a mile away, the water is clean and pure, it will sting a bit due to the mild salt from the ocean water it opens up too, but it will be for the best."


	5. Beacon

The cold water did sting her wounds, though diluted with fresh spring water, Anders found the lukewarm sensation to be refreshing and even a bit relaxing especially after the initial burning subsided, despite the lugging Elite that stood behind her with arms crossed. He'd been watching her closely ever since she first seated herself at the river's edge to wash the cuts on her face and arms, and to soak her swollen feet. Amused, she wondered if he thought she was going to do some sort of ridiculous escape plan like dive into the river and swim away with the current. If he was truly paranoid about that, then he was just plain stupid. Iota had started a fire for them as the blanket of night began to inch it's way across the sky, and now worked to supply her with a roof, despite her mild pleas not to. She glanced back at the see-through creature, he seemed so blissfully oblivious to just how desperate their situation was. Interrupted by the aching churn of her empty stomach, she pressed a hand to it in a futile attempt to silence it.

"We'll eat soon. Everyone needs their strength and there's plenty of game about. Those small creatures haven't spread too far this way from my scanners, so likely cases of infected hosts are minimal." He said, having heard the desperate cry of her stomach, the warm vibe his body gave off relaxed her back. Anders regarded him like he was crazy.

"You are not leaving me here with... _him_." She pointed a thin finger at the Elite who growled at her with eyes narrowed, having overheard.

Iota only smiled. "Well of course not Reclaimer, he'll be doing the hunting." Gone unnoticed by the two, Ripa's eyes widened, shocked at the assumption the A.I made that he would do their bidding, especially for a lowly Human, a female no less. If he were to hunt, which he did feel the need to as he was starving himself, he'd only do it for that purpose. Himself. With a low and long growl, the larger Elite turned, thumping off into the forest, he'd pick something up for her on the side if it'd please the insane Forerunner projection.

Anders only sighed in relief as she looked over her shoulder to watch him go.

"You honestly though I'd leave you here with him? I know he cannot be fully trusted, though I can kill him and he cannot kill me." He drifted back towards the fire, his sentence fading with him.

Anders watched him tiredly, her eyes then focused on the flames as they licked at the air around them. She could feel the inviting heat strengthen as the night air grew abruptly cold with the absence of the sun. Stunning how cold it got in such an hour, but this was an alien planet, changes in her surroundings were to be expected. As such the wildlife... Though four hours back, she wasn't exactly sure if the viral-looking insect that sought to kill her was native to this planet, churning her stomach. It was of the same genetic make-up as the savage creatures who attacked her and the Elite back in the fields nearly three days ago. One part of her, her being a scientist, wanted nothing more than to catch one of the infected beasts, particularly the infected man she caught a glimpse of in the fields, the other, her common sense and instinct of being a Human, told her to avoid them as much as possible, if she didn't want to join their collection of hosts... The possibilities of infecting the entire Spirit of Fire, that is if she even lived long enough to get back aboard, were too great. She inched her way forward towards the fire pit, her feet aching too much to stand on them, and laid herself near the tropical looking hut Iota had built.

"Do you not like the tent?" Iota quipped up from a place unseen, making her dull headache from low blood sugar surge again.

"Nnh, no Iota, I'm just not quite ready to sleep yet." She frowned as another wave of pain thumped against the side of her head. "I'm just really exhausted physically right now, and I'm very hungry."

Seeming to pick up that his voice made her head hurt worse, Iota spoke quietly. "I see, well, don't worry, the warrior will be back soon..."

"Before or after he brings back a platoon to slaughter us?"

Iota chuckled quietly. "I may have been in storage for fifty thousand years, but I know I can take on just as many easily."

"That's quite," She sighed through her dry lips. "The feat." Not really caring for the world at the moment as her brain had finally began to slow down from the whizzing around over the past few days.

"Yes my dear, it is." He hovered over her watchfully, dimming himself as not to disturb her further, and his ears flicking about the forest, listening to the cry of the exotic animals in the night, awaiting the warrior's return.

-o0o-

With the darkness at their backs, a semi-fresh cluster of UNSC legs trampled through the foliage of their musky surroundings. Skin sticky and itchy already, boots heavily caked with swamp mud from trekking a marsh two hours back, nearly up to their knees in milky white sludge. Many chose to walk without their shoulder lamps on, stuck close to those who did, complaining of the dense cloud of bugs that hovered in their faces menacingly. Behind them, the Spartans waded tirelessly in the soup, their shoulder mounted lights driving away many of the smaller night predators. Their armor spattered with the green foul ooze of the strangely parasitic creatures that roamed the forest, screams of distress and hatred haunting the Marines that huddled against each other to the sounds.

"Eh, spread out, it's nightfall so she had to have stopped. Serina, are you sure they're close to here?" Forge pressed a sweaty gloved hand to his ear piece as a group of ten and the Spartans broke off behind him, he spit the thick mucus from his throat, the chilly night air irritating it.

"Yes Sergeant, it's spotty, but her transponder shows she passed through the area nearly three hours ago, I've only picked it up four times in the last hour or so, as if something's blocking it. Her location should be around that general area, you're about 5 miles from where I got in contact with her last, look for a fire or something, she couldn't have travel this far with someone and not set up some kind of beacon."

He nodded, prepared to say something when there came a rustling that startled him and a few Marines.

"Phew!" Jacobson backed out of the bushes off to his far right and nearly tumbled, holding a hand over his nose. "Goddamn."

"What is it Rich?" Commented his companion. "Find something?" He shuffled closer to inspect the sight before him while Jacobson continued to gag at the stench behind him, raising a brow. "I know that smell anywhere," He cringed.

Forge's skin chilled as he approached. "'Decomp?"

Brady shook his head. "Naw sir, Elite piss. Damn things, you could smell it a mile away, real sweet, pungent. Burns your nose like a cat box. Gotta lot o' testosterone, that's why it smells so bad."

"It's fresh too, whoever did it ain't too far." Link added.

"How the hell do you know it's Elite squirt?" Asked Kaysan, disgusted.

"Brady here got pissed on by one during the battle on Aloies. Hidin' out in Green base in Shukkan during their first raid, I'm never going to forget it." Rich chuckled, making Brady frown at him childishly. "The smell never came out of his clothes and it took three washes to get it off of 'em."

"Serg-eant!" A young trooper's voice, somewhat choked, came from John's left.

The other Marines around him whirled in the voice's direction, all weapons to bare at the distress in his voice. His eyes widened, the young man was suspended, kicking out at thin air, gasping, whatever had him held him out in front as a shield. Hearing a subtle 'clink' of a Marine's rifle, it was Kaysan, Forge raised a hand. "Hold it, hold your fire." Despite the insane looks he received, Forge lowered his own, although only slightly. "Where is she? Bastard." The dark armored Elite materialized in Forge's shoulder mounted spotlight, his left eye swollen shut and blood caked to the side of his face, he grinned a bloody grin, then dropped the Marine down to the level of his abdomen. Alice crouched down next to Forge, having come out of the nowhere, her rifle bare though it didn't spit any bullets. The other two had done the same, created a triangle around the Sergeant.

"Hold on Harvey!" Said Brady, panicked at the sight of his younger brother caught up in the Alien's grip, he refused to drop his weapon and pointed it at the Alien's face. "Drop my little brother you ugly bastard!"

"Stoe it!" Forge hissed, he brought his rifle to bare. "Where's the woman?"

The tall being gurgled at him with noticeable traces of blood on his mandibles. "I have no woman."

Though his grip had loosened to allow the Marine some intended breathing room, Moro groaned in pain, dropping the man to the ground, leaving him barely enough room to escape before the 600 lbs. creature fell into the brush with a heavy _rumph!_

The Marines surrounded him flies to a corpse, which is what he well may have been. They scattered as Forge pushed through, none of them firing on the Elite with the odd situation that just occurred, he could hear them exchange mutters of confusion. Even on the ground like this one was, they were intimidating.

"Is it dead?" Brady asked, his mouth suddenly gone dry while he helped his brother from the tall grass, his armor stuck with black and foul smelling mud.

Forge trained his rifle on the Elite with a trigger finger, awaiting for it to leap back into action in an attempt to slaughter them. He'd seen them feign injury before but this one's truly looked as if it'd succumbed to the extent of it's injuries. Though the only response he got from a steady poke with the muzzle of his rifle into his fleshy neck was the twitch of a floppy mandible, the steady rise and fall of his armored back. With so many dents, chips and crippled portions of it's armor, the Elite managed to survive some kind of crash. He bit his upper lip, shook his head and wiping sweat from his brow. "Nawh he ain't dead... Quarseki, get this Elite patched up, plug his wounds with any biofoam we got. Get him aboard the Spirit of Fire, he's going to be our inny for a while, for a lot of things. Do a good job on it, y'know how Marcy hates blood in her Pelican."

Quarseki moved in from between Jerome and Doug, the medic nodding. "You got it, sir."

-o0o-

It was nearly 6 AM from Anders internal clock, which was well awake now having slept through the night. She fell asleep by the fire, to which then Iota carried her into the tent. Her body and mind most certainly grateful for the rest, though it did little to help her get her strength back. While normally it took several days for a Human to deteriorate in milder circumstances, the stress she'd been through within the past three days, atop having to worry about the defecting Covenant Elite was incredibly tolling. With dark circles she watched Forerunner projection from the crack in the tent's frontal flap, his simple being of existence fascinated her, though his structure was truly logical. Heat caused not by body temperature, but by energy his form continuously exerted used to keep the trillions of micro-mirror light plates that projected him contained within the electronic field supplemented by the core A.I unit within his chest. String thin servos, all intertwined in ways Anders could only figure out through a thousand years of research - though possibly then it wouldn't have been enough - pulsed beneath the interlocking maze of crystal mirror-faced flecks, acting as artificial nerves, meaning he could feel all that she did... Quite, impressive. Audio reception and coordinated response was an easy thing to produce in an A.I, but the ability to become solid...

"Oh my..." Iota's head swung around to the distant crunching of foliage, the snapping of twigs and bark. Sounded as if an Occurda was hurtling their way, though that carnivore died out eons ago. His ears flicked at the sounds quickly, pin-pointing their location.

Anders lifted her head from her rolled up pants she used as a pillow, a wince from between her teeth at the stiffness of her neck. Realized the sun was now coming up, the border above the trees turning a tinge of purple. "What- is it?" She asked ignorantly, unable to pick up the distant clattering like Iota could.

"I think your prince charming is returning... I smell blood, he made a kill." He turned to look down at her, pin-head pupils smaller than ever, expression unreadable.

Her skin gone cold and blood pressure up, Anders felt herself on the verge of fainting as her body went into overdrive from the lack of nutrition, she collapsed back on her pants, tucking her legs as best she could under the heavy elephant-eared leaves. She'd been hungry before, but not going so many hours with nothing, it was the most miserable state she'd been in, at least the grit on her face was kept to a comfortable minimal. Exfoliating with sand from the riverbed gently. At this point she'd settle for a shitty insect and deal with it. With the Elite coming back, her mind was forced to wander out of habit to what he may have brought with him. She peeked through the gap in the tent and found that Iota had moved off out of sight, she decided to stay where she was at, listen in when Iota spoke up.

"Oh, is that your kill? Iriklin beast, good fatty flesh. From what I'm getting through the Forerunner catalog."

Ripa did not respond, distracted by his own hunger. The beast apparently took a lot of out of him to kill and he greedily began to peel the hide off the creature as he walked for the fire pit.

"I don't suppose you could spare some for the Human...?"

"..."

"Ripa, she needs energy, she'll die otherwise."

"I am to care? Let her rot." He said with a dismissal tone, that comment alone made Anders want to scream at him, though nothing left her throat because she thought the better of it. Plus it was sore.

Then continued shuffling, a heavy thump.

"That's a lie..." Iota said with a strange endearment in his tone.

"What do you mean?" The Elite drawled.

"The way I see it, if you wanted her to rot, you know fully that you'd have let her become infected back in the forest..."

"She was carrying you means of transportation, had she destroyed it, any signs of the Forerunners were here would have been lost."

"That may be, but may I say, when you two argued back in the temple, I sensed a spike in your hormones..."

"What?" He nearly dropped the carcass.

"Mmm... She had the nerve to fight you, you find that attractive?"

"No woman dare challenge me, she will do as I see fit." He replied, matter-of-factly.

Anders scoffed in the back of her throat. _What an __**ASS, HOLE**__._

"Oh my, it's not nice to hurt an innocent woman you know. You could have let her die Ripa, but see it this way, when you were challenged by her the spike I sensed was not anger. More like unintended arousal." His voice suddenly turned coy, making Anders cock a brow at him with an annoyed, possibly disgusted, shrug of the mouth.

He continued before Ripa could respond. "Although it was only for a moment, you've been watching her every movement since, and I sensed a bit jealously when I spoke with her back in the forest. You've claimed her as yours in three days time and you don't even realize it yet."

There was a long pause, and Anders caught a glimpse of Ripa glaring at the A.I from across the fire, working his claws into the leg of the animal, on the verge of snapping it like a twig, his face so swollen with embarrassment and fury she thought his head was going to explode. Iota pressed on.

"Contrary to belief, Ripa, but you weren't born to kill. No species, even the wretched Flood, were born to kill. All animals kill to survive besides the Forerunners themselves, but none of them were born to murder so ruthlessly. What your clan told you was only to fuel you to fight against the abolishment they dubbed the Humans even harder. You are selfish, but not entirely soulless."

"Enough! Or I'll crush that card myself, you chattering machine!" He stood up abruptly while the carcass slumped to the grass, outraged that the Forerunner projection would dare judge him like this, thinking he would just take it.

Anders retracted from the opening, suddenly feeling nervous at the small crack in Ripa's voice. She then groaned to herself breathlessly at the movement, flopping back onto her clothes she used as pillows, closing her eyes and swallowing, trying to disband the dizziness. Sounds grew muffled, and she allowed herself to slip consciousness to ease her pain. It came surprisingly quick.

-o0o-

"No, you will listen to me." Iota retorted in a demonic tone, his body throbbing a violent purple for a moment, it soon died away. "You are angry because of many things, Ripa 'Moram. You've never fathered children because you never worked your way that far into the keep to gain any status as a right to breed, says your profile within the Meddler's networks. You are a criminal, banished from your clan for your crimes against them and sentenced to die in prison, and, you, are, _arrogant_. However, you are persuasive, cunning, strong, and loyal, minus the ugly attitude. You deprivation of many things nature has programmed you to crave and urge for what is partially to blame for who you are." He crossed his arms, letting his words sink in when the Elite's shoulders sagged, unable to deny all he said entirely.

"..." Ripa's head dropped gradually, his eyes boring into the fire. "... ... ... What does it matter?" He hissed through his gross, crooked teeth.

"It matters alot. What I'm saying is, Ripa, you should try to be more open to her, she may like you more." He tilted his head with a catty curve in his lips. "Nothing is wrong to like another sentient species, in fact, in time you'll find the Forerunners themselves had many a relation with Humans…. Most of them violent. You may have deemed her among an unworthy species at first but your body just told you that you've found a potential mate. Intelligence and integrity are some of the finest traits in a woman, you don't really want a stupid female do you? Although you cannot bare a child, you can still seek companionship…. Let those words go through that brain of yours, you may find them to help you later on."

Iota watched him further as he sat back down on the dead trunk of a tree he'd dragged over for seating. "Feed her," He stated calmly, his body swaying to an unknown wind. "I'm going to patrol the outer limits of the camp for any signs of the parasite. If you're not careful, your meat will burn." He gestured to the leg Ripa had stuck into the ground during their dispute.

-o0o-

Anders came to at the touch of a rough hand on her bruised side, making her cry out weakly. "Please stop..." She moaned, her voice a dry wheeze.

"Get up." Was Ripa's only reply, much less aggressive than he'd ever addressed her, making Anders stare up at him once she'd opened her eyes through the gunk crusted on her lashes which she quickly wiped away. He didn't pull his hand away even as she began to glare up at him with eyes on the verge of crying from her weakened state, he was the last creature she wanted to deal with right now.

"What are you doing in here?" She demanded softly, trying to resist looking back at Iota's card that was peeking from her pants' pocket.

He did not reply, only held up a clump of messy looking roast meat. The smell of the freshly roasted hide instantly made her mouth sticky, she wanted to hurl at the smell, almost. He allowed the chunk to fall into her hands, watching her with no expression as she ate the slight charred breast meat greedily, saving no grace in his presence. He groaned deep in his chest when she coughed on the hunk of flesh, she truly was pathetic. He felt sick, watching her now with what Iota confronted him with earlier ringing out in his head. It all felt surreal. Her scent, despite being as fowl as it was, did not bother him as much as it did when he first took her from the crash site where her male companion attempted to confront him from his orders.

He'd fed himself well before he came to drop her the scraps, then drank from the fresh water upstream where it wasn't so salty. Half a breast he felt would do for her, if it made that Gods' damned machine elated. Her eating slowed, having moved into a sitting position between his bent knees with her back to him slightly. An unwary instinct stirred from hunger. Carefully, she pulled a thin string of cartilage from her lips then glanced about, unable to conjure what to do with it when she felt the need to stop before she got sick despite the aching cry of her shribbled insides, too much meat and so little hydration was dangerous. She held it out for him to take, which he only stared at it then looked to her like _'well?'_.

"Could you at _least_ help me to the river for water then?" She lowered the leftovers onto the bed of elephant-ear shaped leaves that she'd slept on, suddenly exhausted again with bile rising her throat.

His growl boomed through the tent when she turned back to him. He leaned away as she attempted to wrap her hands into the grooves of his armor. She dropped them then into her lap, clearly fed up with him. His hissed at her, felt a grin tug his cheek. "Do you _demand_ that I take you to the river?"

"What do you now have some kinky fetish for me demanding you?" She snapped back.

His mouth dropped into a scowl instead, almost comical with his saggy, chubby cheeks.

"I can't walk, and frankly, if you weren't such an idiot and believed all that the Prophets told you, none of this would have happened and I wouldn't be having to ask for your help."

His eyes boiled with anger in that second, so much that Anders thought the tent was going to combust and her with it, for a split moment, the possibility that he could just strangle her crossed her mind, making her fidget where she sat in an attempt to distance herself from him. Then, it died with the turn of his head towards the tent opening, he'd given in. She _was_ right, after all. Didn't he get it? Women were always right. That made her smile mentally through her tiresome haze.

When she reached for his armor again he repeated the same motion and she looked about like she'd kill him when he spoke. "Do not, put, your sticky fingers on my armor. I will carry you if that is what you wish."

Anders gawked, she felt awkward as his alien hands imprinted on her tender being before she could retort, she was soon airborne and squished against his breastplate, roughly hauled out to the river bridal style, where he nearly dropped her in. She was grateful for the chilly water despite nearly being dumped into in like a rock, pressing her face down into it to wash the dirt away in the current and drinking from the fresh water stream. When she surfaced he was standing bank side with crossed arms, observing her chillingly. "Where's Iota?"

"The construct said he was off to patrol the borders of the camp ground for the parasite. That is all I know. He's not been back for at least a hour now. We are alone it seems."

"Great..." She slumped against the pebbly side of the river, digging her toes into the sand at the bottom. "That is the last thing I wanted."

"You feel that I am inadequate as a guardian?" He said briskly from behind her, though he was more humored than offended.

"Yes." She said, in a rather painfully truthful manner that made his chest deflate. "You hit people for no reason, just like that Zealot, and have a knack for brutally slaughtering people who you don't even know, including your own kind, all for selfish gain and you don't even flinch. In our culture, Humans call that 'sociopath behavior', or 'psychopathic behavior'. It's a form of disease that's genetically inherited and develops, skips a few generations sometimes, and then there are times where it never surfaces at all, we're all susceptible to it, you're just the worse case I've seen. I don't want someone with a psychological issue acting as some sort of guardian for me. At least Iota fought for a valiant cause, and he isn't rude."

"Interesting observation my dear..."

Iota's voice cause Ripa to clamp his mandibles shut and Anders to jump, both looking back at him as he drifted around the burned out fire pit.

Anders looked genuinely pissed as she hauled herself out of the water onto the embankment on her knees. "Iota, how could you leave me with him? He could have killed me and taken your card!" She lied behind her teeth, after overhearing the conversation they had last night, or rather the earlier portion of it. Though she still didn't trust him, the fact the damned ugly thing had a school boy crush on her could have been used to her advantage.

"All is well, Ms. Anders..." He dismissed her brief fit casually, drifting over to her with another one of his gentle smiles. "I do have information regarding the Humans and the parasite, the Humans are nearby, only an hour away, the only disappointing thing is the Flood are trailing them and they are heading away from us, to the south."

Anders sighed. "Great, to get to them you mean we need to cut through this... Flood?"

"Not exactly, I say we could flank them, but we will literally be running side-by-side with the Flood... It's not the wisest plan, but they've nobody to hail..."

Anders sat back on her legs painfully, her brows dropping down. She was thinking, more like forcing herself to. Ripa said nothing throughout the awkward silence and looked between the two. He hated having to wait, it went against his nature, he growled under his breath and looked as if he were going to gripe at her when she spoke up.

"Iota..." Anders lifted her head. "I arrived here by Warship, the ship is dubbed The Spirit of Fire. On board you'll find an A.I named Serina, do you think you can transmit a Distress Call to it? To her? She may be our only hope now. Her systems will put up a natural defense against your entry, but it's worth a shot. Nothing ventured, nothing gained." She finished with a soft sigh, smiling humorlessly.

He nodded, his locks of white hair falling forward over his feudal garbs. "I'll see if I can, with no console nearby the signal won't be as strong, but if the ship is close to the planet, I should be able to patch a simple message through... We'll need to remain stationary when I send it out, however incase she does find us. Give me a moment..."

Ellen nodded as she watched him from her uncomfortable position on the moist ground, eventually her legs began to burn too much, causing her to want to lay on her side. The heavy thumps of Ripa's armored hooves caught her attention, they grew louder upon his approach while she didn't look, more like refused to, she prepared herself to be grabbed. Yet, he walked past her, rather lazily as well. "Where are you going?" She asked.

He nearly whirled on her with his mandibles clacking irritably. "I cannot simple stand here, idol, while the construct tries to contact your ship. Forerunners knows how long that will take."

She frowned, lifted her head. "It's only going to take a few minutes, if you don't want to be overwhelmed by those infectious creatures, it'd be in your best interest to stay close to here. Though to tell you the truth I could care less."

"_Don't_ treat me as a child you loathsome female! Keep that tongue of yours in check, for the next time you smart off, I'll be cutting it out." Leaving a still-wanting-to-argue Anders and silently watching Iota behind, he stalked off into the brush.

"Leave him, Reclaimer." Came Iota from her left in a soothing tone. "He is conflicted right now."

"Over- What?" She sat up, her brows furled again in pain with a heavy head.

"Many things…" He cleared his throat when coming about behind her. "He is conflicted in his feelings for all this, Anders..." The warmth of his body soothed her back. "He was born to believe in all he was told, growing up he fought for many things, not all of them right. While he attacked his own and tried to dishevel his clan's leader, he still not dare attack the Prophets, the Holy Ones, from what I'm getting within their shipfeeds. This all hit him at once. First he finds that he's been lied to since he hatched, then he is now away from any of his kind, stranded in a forest full of strange monsters with the A.I of a lost civilization, and a Human woman whom he's come to be infatuated with. He really is struggling with _you_ in particular, Anders."

She didn't reply, instead, she shook her head with eyes closed in a look of disgust.

"It may seem unfathomable, but he's never had a woman to care for, nor anybody really, only himself. He's done nothing but kill his entire existence, if the Sangheili culture is still as it was so long ago, than I suspect they are still very, very, what you Humans consider, savage. It must be grieving to carry such a weight, than is, if he has any conscious of guilt." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"There's no reason to truly have some kind of _thing_ for me Iota." She shook her head.

"He stares at you when you sleep, he acts like he doesn't care though he watches over you, because he does. The fact you're not afraid of him can either come off as offensive, or attractive. After all, you've shown him more of your personality than you know."

Anders was doing her best to fashion a ponytail from the most flexible tree fibers she could find in the grass around her, really not addressing his explanation. "Is that so, Iota? Care to fill me in?"

"Certainly. First, you confronted him during our time inside the tower, and from what I know, you were captured by him in order to save your companion... This, Forge, person. After all, the bruises of his grip are still around your neck. It's been three days, the weight of his affections will affect him more and more in the coming days if we, theoretically, make it off this planet alive." He replied with a semi-distracted tone, looking skyward.

She scoffed hoarsely. "Thanks Iota, great to know I'm getting stared at while being asleep and-... Iota?" She blinked as she glanced up at him, the A.I's eyes had turned to solid black pearls.

-o0o-

Serina could feel it, a ping her system that was nagging constantly with every throb of information that ran through her digital streams , like an annoying repetitive song in the back of someone's mind. She wouldn't know that feeling exactly, but it was as close as she could put it. The type of signal was ancient, though familiar…. Her eyes wandered about the cabin in debate on whether she should fill in the Captain, her expression particularly strained now that it had gotten abruptly louder. "Captain…?" She piped with a mildly distracted voice.

He brought himself about the table with arms crossed, his aged face creasing with more worry than what he'd been restless for days on end already, the blue lights stressed his features further. "What is it, Serina?"

"I'm receiving a distress signal… It's an S.O.S but the encryption code is not Human." Her eyes lifted to him to watch for his reaction.

"Think it may be a Covenant trick?"

She shook her head. "No… This encryption key is not covenant, it's the same as what I was confronted with during the docking and cleaning process, the only different is it's running on similar channel with a different emission source. I think, that it's an old A.I… Not Human nor Covenant, but it seems to be Forerunner."

"Forerunner?" He leaned over the table to peer at her more intently.

"Yes, the alien race that once resided here… They left an A.I behind. It- Ur, _he_, states himself to be serial name Iota, model code B-7-11-00957, Warrior-Squad division, he's been dormant for 50,000 years…." She paused, her brows crinkling in discern at her own words. "Also, that _Anders_ is great need of medical assistance. Sir," She dropped her hand to her side, transparent gaze piercing him, a look of disbelief on her own face. "I highly recommend you dispatch Forge to the East on the double, sir."

He grunted, hard palm running over his beard. So much clogged his thoughts at the moment, the possibilities of this all being some kind of Flood trap was high… Then again, Serina, while being a smartass and a bit slow to respond to orders, never was one to lie, and she did what she was told with a little pushing. "A great deal of our men were infected during the Flood outbreak, can you tell me how many are surrounding the beacon's general area?"

Her eyes drifted around the bridge, the small lines of numbers running up her form burning brightly. "Roughly… Twelve. Though who knows how many are exactly present. They are in pursuit of…." She hitched her breath, fingers habitually pressed to her temple. "I'm getting a request from Sergeant Forge."

"Patch him through."

Forge's voice, heavily strained and breathless, passed through the bridge intercom. All who sat about listened.

_"Spirit of Fire? This is Forge! I have hostiles pinning us down against a structure in the northern region. My men are running l-"_ A heavy scream of automatic gunfire silenced the Sergeant briefly, though his voice was still jumbled through the blaring battle sounds. The crew looked about each other with freaked expressions when an unfamiliar and spine chilling screech was heard through the explosion of a grenade. _"-Hostage, I repeat, we have a Covenant hostage and are in- Pelican, now! Vultures are on their way from base to bring the rain- Ime soon!"_

Without awaiting Serina's to prepare for an order, Cutter grabbed hold of the center console, jabbing a finger at the nearest Marine who sat stationary by the door. "You, I want you and a Pilot down to his position, now. Second volley with a squadron of able-bodies to provide support will be close behind."

He nodded curtly, departing with haste down to the Ship's hangar.

His fingers worked the panel, running through a list of the Pelicans that were able-aired. Two blue word bubble markers appeared above station chambers containing Echo 122 and Holton 355, confirming the launch sequence to take place momentarily, the orders having been radioed from the Marine that just departed. "Serina, patch the coordinates of Anders to Pelican-651, have her pick them up. I want a crew of five aboard that bird for the hostile."

"Aye, sir."

-o0o-

Anders finally reached out, grabbing his hand after having called the A.I's name for the tenth time. He jumped at her touch once she squeezed his palm, his head slowly dropping to peer at with a tense expression. "Good grief, Iota, snap out of it! What's wrong?"

He knelt down with the notion of trying to calm her, even if she wasn't panicked. Not necessarily. "Nothing, Reclaimer, I apologize…. I managed to contact your ship, from here, action can only be done by their hands. I sense more ships of the same radio encryption coming this way, four kilometers away…."

Her eyes dropped to scan the their forest surroundings. "The Elite's not come back yet…"

"I'm afraid he hasn't. His signal hasn't moved from where he stopped several minutes ago, but he is clearly alive and well from his vitals. I think he's just in need for some time to himself… I'll retrieve him before they arrive, I read that one's broken from the pack to come in our direction. Can you walk?"

She nodded stiffly, hope that the rescue operation would come smoothly. "Yes, but my feet are still swollen, I'll crawl back inside until you return."

He nodded, satisfied. "Very well, stay silent, stay safe…" He watched as she rolled onto her hands and knees, scooting more or less to the tent and slipping inside. Hopefully the Elite hadn't traveled out of his projection range, or so he thought as he struggled to keep track of the steams of data that clogged his processors, gliding over the patches of mossy grass in the direction the Sangheili had stomped off to. He found the old alien hunched over on a boulder that'd split in half with time, eyes of orange boring into the stream uneasily. His breathing was heavy, as if he'd been wrestling with something. Iota's gaze lowered to his claws, finding that the protective gloving was worn away to expose his sharp dark gray talons. Beads of blood on them mixed with splints of tree bark.

"Taken your frustration out on the forest, Sangheili?" He stepped forward, though not much closer with the small chirp of his warning gauge.

The Elite's armor clinked softly when he angled his head around to look at him. "You have contacted the Humans?"

Iota nodded solemnly. "Yes… If you do not want to leave her alone, you'd come with me, now."

No rejection came from his mouth as he stood with a straddled gate, adjusting the strap-and-screw codpiece, uncaring of his actions in front of another. Iota's lip irked faintly to the behavior of adjusting one's self, yet turned to lead the way back to camp hastily.


End file.
